Kingdom Hearts: The Black King of the Keyblade
by sephiroth12285
Summary: During the war between Britannia and Japan, former prince Lelouch is swept away to a faraway place where he is revealed to be a chosen wielder of the Keyblade as the worlds are facing the terrible threat of the Heartless horde and the evil behind it. Will Lelouch take up his Keyblade and save the universe while saving his sister in the process? Lelouch/Hayate/harem (eventually)
1. Chapter 1 Shadow of the Light

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Code Geass and other involved series, etc.

A/N: After some careful consideration and with my knowledge in anime more expanded on than before I am rebooting my Kingdom Hearts crossover Awakening of Zero and War of Hearts and taking all I learned from writing the two stories to rewrite them and improve on a certain ideas and event as well as taking in account of events that had happened in Kingdom Hearts 3D drop instance. Of course like the last two stories it will be a Lelouch and Harem pairing, but of course for the first half of the story since Lelouch is young it will be awhile before any romance happens. Of course this doesn't mean that Lelouch couldn't build up good foundations for a future romance to happen.

So far the harem lineup is as follows…

Hayate Yagami (Magical Lyrical Girl Nanoha), Evangeline A.K. McDowell (Negima! Magister Negi Magi), Aqua (Kingdom Hearts, but she would be a much later addition due to her appearance going to be a late one) with two others I have in mind with one from the Fairy Tail series and another from the Negima! Magister Negi Magi. Those who have walked with me about this fanfic knows who I got in mind, but as a precaution I do have some back-up members in mind if including them becomes more difficult than planned. I'll have put up a new poll to narrow them down with the back-ups I got in mind should I find myself unable to under plausible conditions include them as well as develop proper chemistry, but mind you the final decision falls to me and they will be involved only if I can generate proper chemistry and etc. Some I have in mind mostly to avoid any kind of trends and I would like to have some variety in this one.

Anyway moving on I have some surprises and there will be some radical departures from the normal KH canon, but much of the core canon will be involved still from BBS but modified to fit with the story and one of our main villains who appears in this chapter well I got a plan in mind and may not be who people will think he is.

So without further delay here is the chapter…

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Shadow of the Light**

It was late as a cool wind was blowing through the alleyways of the town that acted as a haven for many who had lost their homes and the worlds they once stood upon, but at one particular resident located in the Second District a duo of teenagers about sixteen years of age were literally working into the night. The three were on the second floor of the apartment-like mansion where the two were seated before a wooden table sitting next to one another pouring over documents laid out before them while sitting on one corner of the table was a small computer with a holographic screen.

The first teenager and the owner of the mansion was a young man about sixteen years of age wearing a two-piece purple body suit designed after Victorian fashion trimmed with gold. It was usually worn with a black cloak with a red interior also trimmed with gold, but that was currently hanging on a coat rack downstairs since it was hardly needed at this moment. The suit also came complete with a white cravat to complete the look while the boots were part of the second part of the body suit. On his hands the young man wore a pair of elbow-length black gloves and a sleeveless form-fitting black shirt underneath where the neck could be pulled up to cover the lower part of the wearer's head when the signature black mask was put on.

Without the mask the young man had black hair, amethyst eyes and a fair skin complexion, but otherwise he was quite tall for his age.

The second was a young woman with a fair skin complexion and brown hair. Her hair was styled into a pageboy haircut with an X-shaped red ornament and a yellow one shaped like two parallel stripes in a large bang of brown hair close to her left eye. Her sparkling blue eyes complimented her kind-hearted nature and for a maturing woman she was easy on the eyes although she was a bit shorter than the young man she was working with. Unlike the young man she wore more casual clothing consisting of a white sweater, a red skirt with black tights and blue shoes with white socks.

"Well at least we have a command structure worked." The brown haired girl said taking a breath.

"Yeah, but we're still lacking appropriate talent to fill key departments. Overall through the new organizational structural plan we have created is the best by far." The young man commented.

"Hopefully we can still fill those positions soon, but we don't need to settle it all tonight right?"

"True enough, but I suppose all things considered we have made some good progress." The young man added.

"I just wonder if we can get the King and the TSAB to provide the support we need?"

"With everything we have put together so far and what we have managed to accomplish on our own they should see the necessity of this organization. Besides me there are too few of us able to properly deal with the threat of the Heartless whose numbers keep growing every day no matter how many we destroy." The young man stated with a confident look that would get the additional support they would need.

"I don't think it helps that you are at this moment one of two Keyblade wielders currently active the other being King Mickey."

"I know, although Nanoha, Fate, your _family_, Leon and the others have been a huge help fighting the Heartless."

"But when it comes to sealing the keyholes of other worlds," The black haired young man nodded in agreement knowing what his co-conscripted wanted to say. "Lelouch, from your training from Yen Sid he doesn't know where we could maybe find another Keyblade wielder?"

"I am sorry Hayate, but I am afraid he didn't have such information."

"But there must be a way to find more Keyblade Wielders? Master Makarov is missing right now and he still didn't pick a successor."

"I know…and King Mickey isn't a Keyblade Master yet, so he doesn't have the ability to choose a successor right now." Lelouch pointed out much to the girl's disappointment, but that didn't stop Hayate as she began thinking for a few moments before asking.

"Lelouch do you remember when you received the Keyblade?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well maybe we could work out some kind of way of tracking down possible Keyblade candidates who might manifest their ability to wield it like you did."

"I am not against the idea, but I doubt finding one will be easy."

"Well," Hayate said as she was trying to think of some kind of profile they could create to help them track down another Keyblade wielder who hadn't awakened his or her power yet. "Maybe if we look back at you perhaps we could try to figure some traits or requirements. I know it's a long shot, but I don't know what else we could do."

"I understand since it would be waste to aimlessly search the worlds one by one and even so we have no clue to determine who can wield the Keyblade let alone who possesses the ability to do so." Lelouch said in agreement. They were literally scraping the bottom of the barrel, but still having Lelouch and Mickey as the only wielders of the Keyblade was simply not enough.

They had to find more like them.

"Well…how did you feel about possessing its power now coupled with the path being a wielder of the Keyblade means for you?"

Lelouch was in deep thought for a moment before he answered.

"There is no doubt that this path is more preferable than some of the other paths I could have been on. I remember that time when I received the power of the Keyblade..." Lelouch answered as his mind went back to the day he got the Keyblade while Hayate Yagami listened to Lelouch's retelling of those events.

* * *

(Six Years Ago: August 19th 2010 A.T.B.)

It was a bright summer afternoon in Japan, somewhere near Mt. Fuji. A trio of children was waiting outside a small cave leading into the mountain. One of them was a young man with black hair, amethyst eyes and a fair skin complexion wearing a short-sleeve white dress shirt, black pants with matching shoes and red suspenders. The second young man was about the same age as the other boy with messy brown hair wearing a light red T-shirt, blue jeans and red sneakers. The last member of their group was a young seven-year-old girl sitting on the ground. Normally she sat in a wheelchair, but due to recent events in Japan about a week ago the trio was forced to leave it behind. She wore a white short-sleeve dress shirt like her brother while wearing a yellow dress with straps on it with white shoes and socks.

"Brother, are we going to be here for awhile?" The little girl asked.

"For now, but don't worry." The black-hair boy replied.

"Maybe I should go check it out first before we go in?" The brown-haired boy suggested, but the other boy stepped forward.

"No I should probably go in."

"But," the brown haired boy tried to object.

"If something isn't right then you are better able to take Nunnally and run than I could, but I doubt there is anything in there."

"Be careful brother…"

"I'll fine Nunnally just wait out here for Suzaku until I check the cave."

"Brother, are we going to be here for awhile?" Nunnally asked.

"For now, but don't worry…I'll check it out first and if the cave is safe we'll stay here for a little bit." The black hair boy said, but his attention was on the door in front of him. Something about it was drawing him to it. Lelouch cautiously made his way through the wide tunnel that went deeper into the mountain. A short time later Lelouch reached the end of the tunnel, which opened into a wide cavern, but strangely at the far end Lelouch spotted a wooden door.

Lelouch approached examined the door, but as he did so Suzaku and Nunnally entered the cavern.

"This place looks empty, so I guess its ok." Suzaku Kururugi commented.

"I thought you two were going to wait outside for me?"

"I am sorry Lelouch, but Nunnally got really nervous and since we haven't heard anything from inside I thought it would be ok."

Lelouch could only sigh seeing how worried the blind girl was.

"I see." The young black-haired boy replied, but suddenly a golden keyhole appeared on the door.

"What the...?" Suzaku muttered as Lelouch turned around seeing the keyhole.

The young boy placed both hands on the door once again looking for a way to open it. His curiosity got the better of him as he managed to open the door with little difficulty. Beyond the door Lelouch saw nothing but empty space, but confusion turned into terror as a powerful suction effect grabbed the black-haired youth, trying to pull him in. Nunnally and Suzaku were caught in the suction, but the latter managed to grab onto a thick tree root from the ceiling. Unfortunately the crippled girl was pulled in with nothing to grab onto and Suzaku was unable to grab her.

"Help me, brother!"

The girl cried as her older brother tried to grab her, but sadly his remaining hand wasn't enough to hold both of them as the darkness within the door sucked them in before slamming shut, leaving Suzaku alone.

"LELOUCH…NUNNALLY!"

* * *

After blacking out for a time Lelouch awoke, his vision was blurry at first, but soon his sight cleared, giving the child the chance to look around and observe his surroundings. As he struggled to his feet he saw that he was lying on a large circular platform with a stain-glass-like surface that held a portrait of a beautiful woman with long flowing brown hair, dressed in the white royal garments identical to a European suit lined with gold.

The young boy examined the portrait and saw behind her, well standing in its hand, was a familiar giant machine with a gold background behind it with roses making up the boarder of her portrait.

Mother...?

The child rose to his feet dusting himself off while trying to figure out where he was. "Hello; is anyone out there?" Lelouch shouted into the dark void. "Where am I?"

"There is so much we must do, young man, But here in this place, we have time so don't be hasty," A voice called out.

"Who are you? I demand an answer!" Lelouch snapped.

" . . . Step forward." The voice commanded as three trapezoid shaped pedestals appeared ahead of Lelouch, each one displayed a different weapon. The first pedestal on the left had a staff with a star on top; in the middle was a sword, while the last pedestal bore a shield with spikes on it. "Power sleeps within you. If you give it form, it will give you strength. Choose well."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly as I said it; choose well."

Lelouch looked at each weapon curiously before stepping forward to examine them more closely. As he stepped towards the staff, the voice spoke again.

"Power of the mystic; inner strength, a staff of wonder and ruin. Is this the power you seek?"

The child stepped back deciding to check all of his other choices by checking the sword next.

"The power of the warrior; invincible courage, a sword of terrible destruction. Is this the power you seek?"

Lastly, Lelouch checked the shield.

"The power of the guardian; kindness to aid friends, a shield to repel all. Is this the power you seek?"

Lelouch stepped back and considered his choices.

"Take your time, young man. But know that there is one of these three powers you'll have to give up in exchange." Lelouch didn't quite understand what the voice meant, but after some consideration the Lelouch took the sword from the pedestal reasoning the blade would make a better weapon.

"Now choose the power you must give up."

Lelouch picked the shield.

"You have chosen the power of the warrior and given up the power of the guardian. Is this the form you choose?"

"Do I have a choice? Then the answer is yes."

* * *

The glass platform shattered, sending Lelouch tumbling down into the dark abyss. After falling for a few minutes, he slowly landed on top of a new stain-glass platform. It had the portrait of a young girl with ash-blonde hair wearing a green and white dress, sitting in an elaborate wheelchair. Behind her was a field of beautiful sunflowers with pink roses decorating the edges of her portrait and green vines.

"Nunnally..." Lelouch muttered, recognizing his younger sister.

"You now have the power to fight!"

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! I NEED TO FIND MY SISTER!" Lelouch snapped.

"But beware: the closer you get to the light..." The voice continued seemingly uninterrupted.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?"

"...The longer your shadow becomes."

Suddenly, a small black inky creature appeared behind Lelouch with glowing yellow eyes, a pair of crooked antennas on top of its head. The presumed dead prince turned around, feeling something was wrong seeing the Heartless. The dark creature moved closely while acting cautiously with the young man before getting ready to pounce on the boy.

At that moment, the sword in Lelouch's hand began to glow as it transformed into a special weapon, a hybrid of a key and a sword. Without even looking at the newly formed weapon, Lelouch raised it up and cleaved the Heartless in two with one strike. Once the Heartless was defeated, he took a moment to examine the transformed weapon.

It was simple in appearance, but it was clearly a key-fashioned weapon similar to a sword. It was an unusual weapon; unlike anything Lelouch had ever seen before. The weapon in his right hand was a large classic skeleton key approximately 4.5 meters long, which possessed a four-inch long silver Keychain extending from the polished black hilt, and a black upside-down Heart-like emblem in shape, but with several circular notches taken out of the heart's edges. The symbol's base is shaped like an upside-down heart, while its top is a thin, spiked cross that was attached to the end of the Keychain. The blade and teeth of the Keyblade were silver, the rain guard was gold, but the teeth of the Keyblade form the outline of a crown.

What kind of weapon is this? Lelouch thought to himself.

"Keyblade..." The unknown voice spoke.

As Lelouch continued examining the blade, three more Heartless appeared, surrounding the young Keyblade wielder.

"Damn it!" The child cursed as he raised the Keyblade above his head. He rushed the first Heartless, killing it quickly before it had a chance. The other two were already converging on Lelouch, but the former prince quickly evaded by backing towards the edge of the platform behind him. One of the two Heartless leapt at him. Lelouch beheaded it with a well timed cleave, while the third jumped towards him. However, Lelouch dodged it as the Heartless fell into the abyss behind him, sailing over the platform's edge.

"What the hell were those things?" Lelouch didn't quite comprehend fully what just happened. Shadows moving on their own? It was absurd.

A moment later a large brown decorated door appeared in the center of the platform. Hoping for it to be a way out, Lelouch ran to the door, attempting to open it. But when he did that, a blinding light consumed Lelouch; instantly transporting him to another small pocket dimension where he found himself standing inside the old Aries Villa of the royal palace. He was standing in the middle of a beautiful rose garden with a round clearing in the heart of it. Seated on white chairs to his left, his right and directly in front of him were old friends from his memory.

To his left was a little nine-year-old girl wearing a bright orange dress with long pink hair and light amethyst eyes. To his right was a woman who was slightly older, but appeared to be at least in her early twenties or late teens with long purple hair and matching eyes, dressed in the uniform of a royal soldier. However, directly ahead of him was something he never thought he would see again. Sitting on a white chair, dressed in a white kimono with a blue hakama, befitting the style of someone dressing as a Shinto priest was a young Japanese boy with short brown hair and green eyes.

_Suzaku..._

"The door will not open yet, but I wish to know more about you."

"Damn it, I don't have time for these games! I want answers!" Lelouch snapped, but the unknown voice didn't reply. After attempting to leave the small clearing he was in, Lelouch discovered some kind of unseen power was keeping him trapped in the area, so he had no choice but to play along.

"The day of destiny is both very far and very near for you."

"Stop talking in damn riddles!" Lelouch sighed heavily after there was still no reply. As he approached the young eight-year-old girl, Princess Euphemia, she asked Lelouch a question. "What are you afraid of?"

"What I am afraid of?" Lelouch retorted as he thought about the question. "I fear for Nunnally; my sister."

"Is that so scary?" The little girl said before fading away. With no other choice once again, Lelouch walked over the other woman: Euphemia's older sister, Cornelia.

The elder sister asked, "What do you want out of life?"

Lelouch took a few moments to consider an answer. "I don't know. I am living a lie?" Lelouch wasn't certain about his answer.

"Then speak with your heart, where your true self lies within it."

Thinking on her words for a moment, Lelouch offered a new answer. "To have power so I can do more for my sister."

"Everything revolves around your sister, doesn't it?" Cornelia said before fading away, leaving one person left.

Without hesitation, Lelouch approached the ten-year old Suzaku Kururugi.

"What is most important to you?" Lelouch's first real friend asked.

"Nunnally is the one who is important to me."

"Wow, you really care for your sister, don't you?" Suzaku said before fading away.

The voice spoke to him once again a moment later.

"You have chosen your form. Your journey will be beginning at dawn." Another blinding light overtook Lelouch as he reappeared atop of another stain-glass platform. But this time, the image of the platform showed a portrait of an older Euphemia with a field of pink roses behind her, wearing a royal and elegant white and pink dress with the border of her portrait composed of pink roses. Red ribbons were linked to every rose in a double-helix pattern.

At that moment, five more Shadow Heartless appeared, once again surrounding Lelouch. The young exiled prince stood his ground, holding his Keyblade, ready for combat. This time, Lelouch didn't give the creatures a chance to attack first, as he moved in and quickly cut down the first Heartless before killing another one before the others could join in. As three more Heartless appeared to reinforce their fallen kin, Lelouch fought off the oncoming three dark creatures as one jumped at him. But despite Lelouch not being the athletic type, he had no problem dealing with the creatures, as long as he prevented them from surrounding him.

Bringing his Keyblade back around, Lelouch impaled another Heartless through the head before ripping the blade out of the dying creature, and cleaving through the second target, leaving Lelouch with the newly arrived three Heartless as they charged him. Moving to the left to maintain good spacing between three of enemies, Lelouch swiped one of the three in the face, killing it. The second enemy attempted to avenge its fallen kin by jumping at Lelouch (who simply ducked to avoid the attack), quickly being struck down. The last Heartless that jumped over Lelouch was all that remained.

Turning around, Lelouch threw the Keyblade straight into the Heartless' head. This was when he discovered one of the abilities of his weapon: he could summon it back into his hand by his own will. It was instinctive to him; he didn't have to think about it if he didn't want to.

"Well done. The door awaits you," The voice said as a stain-glass staircase appeared, leading across the black abyss to another station in the distance. With nowhere else to go, Lelouch made his way to the second platform, walking across the abyss via the stairs. But the minute both feet were planted upon the second platform, the stairs disappeared.

Taking a moment to glaze down at the portrait on the platform he was standing on now after wandering to the center of the station, he was shocked this time as he saw a portrait of himself; older and in a way that was both impressing and fearsome, while holding a mask under his left arm, with his right hand held over his nose, covering part of his right eye while his cape moving to the wind. But his left eye displayed an odd red light with a bird-like symbol in the middle. Behind him were destroyed buildings and the burning wreckage of destroyed Knightmare Frames. Unlike the other portraits, this one displayed him in a rather intimating light. The boarder of this portrait was made up of interconnecting versions of the symbol on his eye, and black chess pieces in-between the connected emblems, making up the border as well as the edges of the portrait.

"Is that me?"

"It is what you are meant to become," The voice replied as Lelouch's shadow grew longer until it began rising up from the ground behind him. As his enlarged shadow emerged from the ground its towering form cast a shadow over Lelouch, who at that moment realized the danger he was in. This Heartless was nothing like the shadows, but stronger and more dangerous. "But always remember: you have the strongest weapon of all."

"Oh crap!" Lelouch shouted as he narrowly dodged the Darkside's fist. Despite Lelouch's best attempts to cut away at the creature's hand, an explosion of dark energy knocked him back; giving the monstrous Darkside a chance to pin Lelouch to the ground with its other hand, holding him in place as a vortex of dark energy opened up underneath his body.

The darkness began to consume him, but before fading out as the Darkside was looking straight at him, the voice spoke for the final time to him.

"Never forget you are the one, who will change everything."

Everything went dark as Lelouch lost consciousness.

* * *

At that moment on another world similar to Earth, but different in a large number of ways with one of them being the world governments were different from the ones Lelouch knew. Events happening on this world were also happening Japan in the city of Uminari. Normally it was a busy and highly populated metropolis, but now…

It had become a war zone.

Its skyscrapers and buildings lay in ruins with most of the city in flames while hundreds of black creatures with yellow eyes were surging through the city consuming the hearts of those unfortunate enough to be in their path, but behind it all was a man about nineteen years old mildly tanned skin, golden eyes, and silver hair. His silver hair which is slightly spiky in front, but the rest fell past his shoulders in the back. He had four bangs framing his face; the back two thicker than the front two bangs, and the topmost of his hair is slicked back.

His attire consisted of silver-white gloves on his hands, each with a gray band on the wrist, while the rest of the glove, which has three black buttons lining one side, bells outwards. There is a black pauldron on both of his shoulders, each attached to his black coat by two straps. He wore a pair of black pants and black, silver-lined, knee-high boots. The black coat that had the leather-strap styled pauldrons while it's interior was red on the inside and lined with yellow. There was a large gray section that covers the lower half and shoulders of the coat which attached by several small pins or buttons around the hip and neck sections of the coat, as well as by a belt that wraps around the young man's back and attaches to the rim of the coat. The coat is high-collared and completely unzipped, showing the second, shorter white jacket the young man wears underneath. The nineteen year man's second jacket is white and high-collared much like the outer coat that is left buttoned up and around the waist were two belts, but below the belt the white coat flares outward leaving three black buttons undone.

The man stood atop of a tall skyscraper watching the destruction unfold with a smile as the Heartless were swarming through the streets below while the skies had become dark with a gigantic sphere of dark power floating high above the city as pieces of the ground and buildings were beginning to break away and float up into the sky. The young man held out his arms in an extravagant fashion basking in the world's destruction happening around him, but suddenly became aware of an approaching foe. He turned around and saw a ten-year old girl with long brunette hair tied into a pair of pigtails held together by white ribbons.

She was dressed in a blue and white dress with a metal waist guard, styled after the Seishou Elementary School uniforms for girls. On her shoulders and gloves were field generators and other defensive enhancements on the barrier jacket the young girl wore.

"Ah you must be Nanoha Takamachi the new member of the Time-Space Administration Bureau?" The man said while his right hand flexing his fingers in an unusual manner, as if itching to grab something.

"Are you the one behind this?"

"What if I am?"

"Why are you doing this what have these people done to you?" Nanoha demanded holding her Intelligence Device Raising Heart Exelion aiming the device straight at the young man.

"These people have done nothing to me, however they are just unlucky enough to be on this world as the Heartless consume and devour their hearts. But I do have another purpose for wiping out this world. You and your friends are a possible threat to us, which I cannot allow."

"We don't know you?"

"Of course you don't, but someone he knew mentioned you and that failure to us and we deemed you and your friends a possible danger to us. And since we needed hearts for our plans well we decided to do two things at once, collect many hearts including the heart of this world and wipe out the threat to us all at once. Is that not more efficient?"

Opposite of the calm and calculating expression on the young man's face Nanoha's face was that of frozen horror, but she regained her composure intent on stopping him.

"Rising Heart…Axel Shooter!" Nanoha commanded as cartridges were ejected from the magical device as a female voice replied.

"Target locked!"

"SHOOT!"

The young man smirked as twelve bolts of pink magical energy were fired straight at him. The bolts seemingly hit their mark, but when the smoke cleared there was no one there.

"Huh?"

"There is so very much to learn. You understand so little." The young man spoke appearing behind Nanoha about to attack from behind summoning a weapon into his hand to cleave the ten-year old girl's back with before someone else intervened on the scene.

A large blade of yellow energy attached to another magical device, but this one was a different design from the one Nanoha had. Its wielder was by all appearances the same age as Nanoha with long blonde hair and red eyes while her hair was styled into a pair of pigtails as well. She wore a black barrier jacket that resembled a swimsuit with an attached pink skirt and a number of maroon belts. It includes a pair of gloves, armor plates on her forearms and shoes, thick ribbons which hold her hair in pigtails, and laced shoes worn over long stockings with lastly a white cloak draped over her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" Fate Testarossa asked as she held her device Bardiche Assault in its Zanber Form.

"Fate!" The brown-haired girl exclaimed happily.

"So you have come Fate Testarossa I was hoping to find you as well. Precia has told me all about you and what had transpired." The silver-haired young man said as he backed away holding his weapon.

It was quite unusual as it was a Keyblade much like the one Lelouch now possessed, but this one was darker and more demonic in appearance. The weapon possesses a spiky, black guard resembling demonic wings, a horned, demonic head just above the handle, two barbed shafts, and teeth resembling a battle-axe split into three almost claw-like protrusions. It also contains two eyes of darkness, one above the handle and the other one on the head. Its shaft and head are adorned with several twisting, silver patterns.

"You know Precia? What is your relationship to her? Is she alive?" Fate demanded hearing the mention of the woman he had believed to be her mother, but rather she was her creator having cloned her from her daughter who died many years ago.

"I suspect if you survive this night you'll find out in due time."

"You can't win against both of us!" Fate pointed out while Nanoha nodded in agreement.

"I am quite certain I could win on my own, but seeing that we are rather short on time and it is two against one after all."

The young man said with a smile of amusement on his face. Summoning up his rage the young man's body radiated with dark power as a large ink-black, muscular, humanoid creature erupted from his back. The dark creature has a partially bandaged head possessing some vague human features while baring little resemblance to silver-haired young man. It has yellow eyes gleaming above a mouth filled with sharp teeth, as well as two long antennae spouting from the top of its head. A hole appears in-between more bandages on the torso in the shape of a heart, much similar to the heart shaped hole that appeared on the Darkside Heartless. It lastly has very large hands, its torso coming to a tail-like point that fades away into its host's body.

"Just what…who are you?"

"My name isn't important…I am just a shadow, an extension of his will, but for the sake of convenience you may call me Xehanort."

* * *

As the two-on-two battle took place, others with abilities similar to Nanoha and Fate were fighting the Heartless on different fronts throughout the city trying to stop them unaware of the fact that the battle had been lost as the world around them began to crumble around them. However one of them not involved in combat was a girl in the red dress who would have gladly join in and help, but she couldn't leave her mistress unattended.

The small redheaded girl with diminished height could only watch gripping her weapon tightly. She was had her red hair styled into two queues that trail behind her head. Her red battle jacket was based upon a Gothic Lolita-style dress with black frills and yellow ribbons, a large red hat with plush rabbit heads, and black and red boots. Her weapon a red and gray two-sided hammer that distantly resembles a polo mallet called Graf Eisen.

Under her protection having taken her to atop of a building for safety since the streets were swarming with Heartless was a young girl. She had short brown hair with an X-shaped ornament on the large bang closest to her left eye. She wore a white skirt and wore a purple sailor-style shirt with long sleeves with white socks and shoes. She had once wielding tremendous magical power, but due to events that took place months ago which saw the Tome of the Night Sky and its Master Program destroyed her ability to tap that magical power was gone until a new Tome and Master Program could be recreated.

"I know you want to help Hayate, but in your current state there is nothing you can do. Just have in faith in Nanoha-san and the others." Vita the Knight of Iron Hammer pointed out sensing her master's deep-seated frustration. Heck even she wanted to go out there and take down the Heartless, but who would then protect Hayate.

"But…there is so much destruction…why? Why is this happening?" The wheelchair bound girl asked with tears in her eyes, as the destruction all around her was too much to bear.

"I don't know, but…" Vita was saying before the entire ground shaking soon followed by the ground below their feet suddenly crumbling away interrupted her. The situation was made even worse as Shadow Heartless appeared moving to attack Hayate, but Vita quickly struck them down using his abilities of flight to move through the air and quickly engage them.

The entire world was on its last legs as it was about to vanish into the realm of darkness as everything was being drawn into the massive dark sphere hanging high overhead. Vita used Graf Eisen, her magic hammer and armed device, to seize hold of a broken off piece of a building after collecting Hayate and bringing her off after she was unable to break away from the overpowering gravitational pull from the sphere. Of course there was nowhere they could really go to, as Hayate and Vita were both fearful that their end was upon them.

Still Vita was determined to be with Hayate to the bitter end and protect her.

"Hold on Hayate!" Vita cried out grabbing hold of her mistress as she had been holding onto her wheelchair.

Unfortunately the gravitation pull became too strong and Vita's grip on the wheelchair was broken when a Shadow Heartless tried to attack Vita from erupting from the ground between her and the back of the wheelchair. Vita killed it quickly enough, but Hayate was now pulled helplessly into the dark vortex in the sky as their entire world crumbled falling into darkness following the world's heart being consumed.

"HAYATE!"

Vita could only cry out at Hayate vanishing into the dark sphere, but boldly the Iron Knight followed after Hayate in hot pursuit refusing to loose her.

* * *

Elsewhere Lelouch slowly began to wake up as he noticed a starry sky above his head, but what drew his attention was the feeling of someone poking him with a stick on the side of his head. Lelouch turned his head and sure enough he saw kneeling on the ground near him was a nine year old girl with short black hair, brown eyes wearing a sleeveless green shirt with a small hood and a yellow vest buttoned up leaving her midriff exposed and then orange shorts with white sandals and a light gray headband.

"Ugh…who…why are you doing that?"

"Because you looked dead when I found you?"

"Well clearly I am not, so who are you?"

"Hiya I am Yuffie!"

"Yuffie?"

"Yup…who are you?"

Still feeling weak and a little drowsy from what happened Lelouch struggled to his feet, but he was only able to sit up, but Yuffie kept poking him with her stick…however this time she was poking the ten-year old child on his cheek.

"Why are you still doing that?"

Yuffie suddenly pouted, "I am bored and you haven't told me your name." As she looked to him, she turned her head slightly, like if trying to see him from another angle.

"You know . . . I have a friend who is kinda like you."

Lelouch couldn't help but let his sarcastic vein emerge, as he replied to her words.

"Really? I'm amazed that you're still alive then."

"That's mean!"

Suddenly Lelouch realized he nearly forgot someone. "Nunnally…where are you Nunnally!" Lelouch shouted, as he didn't see his little sister in sight. Forcing himself to his feet Lelouch began running out of the alleyway of the First District of Traverse Town. The town wasn't a place Lelouch recognize, but nevertheless he began frantically searching for his little sister.

"Hey wait up!" Yuffie called as she chased after Lelouch, but the former prince ignored her and kept going as he ran towards the doors leading to the Third District.

"Nunnally!"

"Wait, hey…wait…don't go there by yourself that place is!"

Yuffie tried to warn the young boy, but it was no use as Lelouch opened the doors and ran into the Third District. The ninja girl in training followed behind him trying to stop him. However upon reaching the golden fountain in the corner of the lower area of the district where he saw an image of two dogs depicted upon it Lelouch saw a girl lying on the ground before the fountain trying to get up. It obviously wasn't his sister due to the clothes she wore not to mention her hair being different but still it was obvious the girl was crippled like Nunnally was.

"Hey are you alright?" Lelouch said kneeling down next to the young girl after he found himself unwilling to leave her behind to continue his search.

"Huh? Huff…w…what…" Yuffie said struggling for breath after catching up to the two. "What is a little girl doing here don't you know this place is off-limits?" Yuffie said while it was clear from her nervous expression that this place of town was not safe.

"I have to find my sister Nunnally and this girl needs help." Lelouch pointed out to Hayate who was on the ground as Lelouch helped the girl to at least sit up. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine, but where is Vita, Signum, Shamal and Zafira?"

"Huh?" Lelouch began not recognizing the names.

"I don't know who those people are, but we have to get out of here NOW." Yuffie said with more worry in her voice. "We can't be here?" Yuffie shouted.

"What if my sister is trapped here?"

"But you don't understand this whole area is," Yuffie began, but her words trailed off when sixteen Shadow Heartless quickly appeared surrounding the three children.

"It's those creatures again." Lelouch snapped.

"H-Heartless!"

"VITA!" Hayate cried out calling for her knight to help her.

Unconsciously Lelouch summoned his Keyblade into his hands holding it ready as he quickly used his left arm to move Yuffie behind him, as he tended to defend her and Hayate from the oncoming onslaught of Heartless. The first Shadow moved to attack him, but he cleaved it in half, but a second Heartless attacked with its claws, reaching his arm and injuring him…however Lelouch brought his Keyblade down on the creature's head killing it.

The young Britannian prince tried moving his left arm, but the cuts from the creature's claw slash were deep, making it painful to move. Forced to fighting with one arm Lelouch kept on, unwilling to die until he was sure his sister was fine, but as another Heartless was slain by his hand more kept reappearing to replace the ones he had killed. Lelouch cleaved through three dark creatures at once trying to slay them all with his remaining arm while he quickly struck down any of them that had gotten too close, but no matter how many he killed they kept coming.

After killing six more Heartless Lelouch began to show signs of fatigue as blood was pouring from the claw marks on his arm. His limited and laughable stamina was also beginning to show, which was being supported and boosted by the Keyblade's magic enabling Lelouch to wield and fight with the Keyblade despite his weak body. Yet even that had reached its limit now, as Lelouch's body couldn't be pushed any further. His whole body was ready to collapse due to serve forced exertion. Yuffie was in no position to be of much help…all she could do was hope someone would come to the group's aid before her protector tired out.

Hayate was obviously out of the question due to her disabilities.

Finally another one landed another strike delivering deep claw marks in his other arm creating a small stream of blood pouring from the new wound. It finally happened, as it was now almost impossible to fight as Lelouch was already weakened well beyond what his body could endure even with the magical support from the Keyblade, but thanks to the blood loss he began to lose consciousness again. As his eyes closed up, and all remaining strength fled him, he saw a blur of an older man wielding a large bladed weapon leap down from somewhere and start attacking the Heartless.

Having finally lost consciousness, Lelouch's body fell backwards, into the arms of the girl behind her as the man approached them.

"Hayate-sama!" Vita cried out as she rushed towards her fallen mistress's side.

"Vita, thank goodness you are alright."

"Don't worry about me Hayate-sama, but are you alright?"

"Yes this young man tried to protect me, but he saved us."

Hayate said looking at the older man who was at least eighteen years of age wearing a short-sleeve leather jacket, matching pants black pants with zip-up sides and brown belts on one side of his hips, boots and a white shirt with a silver necklace and black gloves. He also had shoulder-length dark brown hair and blue eyes with a distinctive scar that runs diagonally across his nose. In his hand was a weapon that seemed like a large revolver he held, but the barrel was replaced with a long blade making it resemble a sword more.

"Who is he?" Vita asked assuming a defensive stance.

"He's Leon; don't worry its fine he helps protect the town." Yuffie answered.

"So I guess we have some new comers and," Leon began looking down at Lelouch noticing the Keyblade that lay near him. "A boy wielding the Keyblade has finally appeared."

* * *

A/N: well that is it and I am going to let this chapter sit for awhile so I can collect input and further ideas. I don't plan on doing too big of a harem mostly because I do want to focus on the romance and chemistry development so I do not wish to overburden myself and there is setting up the plausible cause for it which I have in mind, but further development on it would be good. And as for variety I also mean in terms of personalities, abilities and skills too to bring something different into it. However while it would be easy to chose some of the strongest and most bad ass females for the harem, but it feels too convenient and too much of a trend I wish to have variety in more ways than one. Now who could I be including from Fairy Tail as member number five, well Erza Scarlet is so far the most likely choice, but getting her involved will be difficult next to Aqua so for Erza I do have a back up member in mind just in case things don't go as I planned. I may consider expanding it, but only if that is possible.

As for Kallen and C.C. well like Erza and Aqua they would be late, but I will only do one of them, but we'll see when I get to that point in the story when they are introduced.

Hayate I did as is for this chapter since according to what I know about the series Hayate didn't create Reinforce until two years after events of the Book of Darkness incident. Of course that will be changing in the coming chapters of course as she and Vita will be Lelouch's traveling companions.

So let the reviews and input come and I am also looking for a beta-reader to help with the chapters. I tried to streamline it while expanding events in the chapters, but I had a hard time pulling it off leading to the chapter as it is now. Hopefully as we get beyond chapter two and three things will be much more streamlined.


	2. Chapter 2 To wield the Keyblade

A/N: wow the reception to the improved story has been better than I thought initially and I will also confess that I was surprised when producing the Awakening of Zero that I had failed to properly take into account Lelouch's lack of physical ability even before Leon's training such as when he was fighting off the Heartless which I have addressed. Now in this chapter, events that happened in BBS will be reserved with some filling in the blanks that will come later at a certain point. Also what would this mean for Riku, Sora and Kairi…well you guys are just going to have to wait and see, but it's a whole new ball game from here on out.

As for the harem the polls are now closed and the winners shall be taken into consideration and then looking at the possibly of including them in the fic itself when the time comes of course, but remember the CG cast will not be appearing for a long while mind you. Since Lelouch is a child at this point don't imagine much in terms of romance and such until a lot later too lol.

This chapter turned out a little shorter than I had imagined, but I hope after chapters three and four I can really get going on this so expect a rough start lol.

On with the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 2

To wield the Keyblade

(2006 A.T.B.)

In the middle of the woods located near an expansive villa a young six-year old boy with black hair held a three-year old girl with sandy blonde hair in his arms. The girl was unconscious, but she was otherwise fine. She wore a white dress, but she wasn't quite capable of wandering about on her own yet. Her older brother remained by her side.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you." The boy replied with determination as the man who saved them and his sister approached the boy.

The young man was quite tall possessing brown hair that reached down to the base of his neck in the back and is styled into rather messy, vertical spikes and bangs that frame his face. He also had blue eyes and slightly tanned skin while dressed in a usual choice of clothing. His uniform began with two red intersecting straps over his chest, but they oddly resembled crisscrossed suspenders with a gold badge on his obi. He wore a skintight, black, high-collared shirt, showing his muscular physique and tan-colored hakama while near the top the coloring changed to dark-gray. It also comes with several loops for his belt and two buttons, both of which are undone. Lastly the young man wore a plain black wristband on his right arm, while his left arm is clad in armor plating as were his feet wearing a pair of metallic boots.

"That was brave, but dangerous. You could barely run so why did you try to fight that Unversed?"

"I don't care I promised mom I would protect her so that's what I'll do."

"I see and would you show that some devotion to your friends?"

"I really…don't have any friends?"

"That is unfortunate, but I am sure someone like you will make the right friends someday. If you heart can stay strong."

"What do you mean?"

"I think you are a little too young to understand, but you will some day."

The tall man stared at the boy for a few moments before deciding to kneel down before the six year old boy summoning a strange weapon into his hands holding it out before the black-haired young man. The weapon at first seemed like a large sword-like weapon, but it appeared to be an oversized key. It was textured, dark brown color, with brass edges while its teeth are made of two pick-like points, with two hammer-like protrusions on the opposite side. The guard was an off-blue color, and appeared to be crafted from two Omega insignias fused together to form the hand guard. The pommel is a dark blue cone with a Keychain token dangling from the end which was a reddish rock fragment with brass armor-like plating. Hesitantly putting the three year old girl down at the base of the tree he stood under to accept the weapon. But before the boy could take hold of the weapon the older young man spoke.

"In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend…no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."

Mystified by the experience the young man accepted the weapon into his hands. Despite its size and likely weight the six-year old held it up. The young man's hand glowed as a sign of the weapon acknowledging him.

"Protect your sister and those you hold dear, but even if your body is weak now…true strength of heart will carry you through the most difficult of trials. Remember that and you will become strong one day and when your heart is strong you shall inherit this weapon as your own."

The dream ended or rather the distant memory came to an end.

* * *

Lelouch's eyes began to open as he awoke to find himself sleeping in a bed, which was inside a hotel room of some kind with parts of upper half of the room green while a table with chairs was set up near the center with a dresser in one another and other pieces of furniture. Lelouch was lying in a king-size bed with white blankets and a blue headboard. As his vision became less blurred, he turned his head to scan the room looking for anyone else who might be present. Lelouch was still worn out, but the sound of a door opening drew his attention to a young fourteen year old woman wearing a pink dress, long chestnut hair tied up with a pink ribbon on the back of her head while the rest of her hair was braided, green eyes and a fair skin complexion with brown boots on her feet entered the room. Hayate was following right behind her in a new wheelchair with Vita pushing behind her.

"Oh thank goodness you are awake!"

"What happened?"

"You passed out after Leon rescued you, Hayate and Yuffie."

"Hayate is that your name?" Lelouch asked looking at the wheelchair bound girl who nodded before saying.

"Thank you for your efforts uh…"

"Lelouch, my name is Lelouch."

"Oh thank you Lelouch-kun I am Hayate Yagami and this is Vita." Hayate said introducing herself properly while introducing Vita as well.

"And who are you?" Lelouch inquired looking to the other woman.

"My name is Aerith it's a pleasure to meet you Lelouch. Yuffie has also been concerned about your well-being. You defended her and Hayate from the Heartless."

"The Heartless?" Lelouch asked wondering if that was the name of the creatures that attacked him and the girl.

"Oh" Aerith said noticing that Lelouch obviously had no idea what the Heartless were which wasn't too surprisingly. "They were the ones who attacked you, you remember? Those without hearts, the darkness in people's hearts-that's what attracts them. And there is darkness within every heart, but what the Heartless fear above all else…is the Keyblade."

"The Keyblade?" Lelouch reached out with his open right hand summoning his Keyblade to his hand which surprised Vita and Hayate as they had never seen such a weapon before.

"Exactly!" Aerith replied as someone else stepped into the room having overheard the first part of the conversation, he was a bit older than Aerith but he was the same man who had helped Lelouch, Yuffie and Hayate when they were in a pinch.

"The Heartless have great fear of the Keyblade. That's why they'll keep coming after you no matter what." Leon explained to the boy.

"Well, I didn't ask for this." Lelouch huffed.

"The Keyblade chooses its master…I don't know how or why. But it chose you, so tough luck."

"How did all this happen? I remember being with my friend Suzaku in a cave we saw a door then me and my sister…" Lelouch stopped at mid-sentence when he remembered Nunnally…he hadn't found her. "Wait a minute! What happened to Nunnally we were both pulled into the door before I ended up here?"

"You know what? I really don't know."

"I have to save her…I got to find Nunnally." Lelouch said as he tried to get out of bed, but each time he moved his legs he felt a sharp pain shoot through his body quickly immobilizing him. The former prince didn't have enough strength to get out of bed.

"You are in no condition to search for you sister. I take it your body isn't capable of the prolonged physical activity isn't it?" Aerith asked as Lelouch was too embarrassed by the fact that due to the fact he engaged in little to no strenuous physical activity where even the simplest tasks requiring manual labor exhaust him before he manages to accomplish anything significant. How Lelouch was able to fight as well as he could was unknown to him.

"The Keyblade must have been using its power to boost your body's physical capabilities in order to wield it more effectively in a combat situation, either you did it unconsciously or the Keyblade does it on its own regardless. However pushing a weak body like yours so hard coupled with the injuries you received has taken a much bigger toll than normal." Leon noted as Lelouch found that ever muscle in his arms and legs was in pain from being pushed well-beyond what it could handle.

"I didn't even notice that…" Lelouch admitted as he reluctantly remained in bed as any attempt to move his legs caused the pain to fare up, but his arms oddly didn't feel as bad as his legs.

"I'll check around town and see if anyone has seen her, she is probably looking for you too so if she is here she won't be too hard to find." Aerith offered.

Lelouch hated the idea he was going to depend on complete strangers to find his sister, but given his current state he had very little choice. After providing a description of her sister to Aerith the woman left to begin searching for the young girl to see if she had arrived at the town as well. Five whole minutes passed before Leon finally said something while Hayate and Vita observed as the brown-haired girl wasn't sure how to begin the conversation.

"Sooner or later, the Heartless will find you. You'd best prepare yourself."

"Prepare yourself?"

"When you recover you better start preparing…the Heartless will never stop looking for you, because of the power you wield." With those words Leon left leaving Lelouch alone in the room with the exception of a quiet Vita and Hayate. Lelouch's upbringing and events that happened in his life gave him a cold view of the world. He couldn't see the good intentions of others without seeing the reasons behind them.

To the boy good intentions could only be truly understood by the reasons behind them, and he couldn't believe good intentions without the reason behind them. He couldn't believe good intentions with no reason behind them. He could only believe good will with reason; only if the other person is going to gain something or else it doesn't make sense.

Lelouch deduced the reason behind their good intentions for saving him, aside from Yuffie who they obviously knew; Lelouch pieced together parts of the conversation and highlighted the words Heartless, Keyblade and Fear in his mind. Examining the Keyblade once again Lelouch studied for a moment wondering why such creatures born from the darkness in the hearts of others would fear such an odd weapon. It was plainly clear that the creatures were dangerous and attacked mainly in large numbers to overwhelm their prey and assumingly consume the heart of their victim.

Yet he continued to wonder how could this weapon inspire so much fear in the Heartless? Was there more to the weapon than he realized?

"So, Lelouch right?" Hayate began as Lelouch turned his head to look at the wheelchair bound girl who pulled up to his bedside with Vita's help. "Are you from Japan?"

"Not exactly, but I am surprised someone like you survived the war going on."

"War?" Hayate asked appearing confused before answering. "Oh you mean the large dragon and the Heartless that attacked?"

"No I meant the war between Japan and Britannia."

"Britannia?"

"You…don't know what Britannia is?" Lelouch asked genuinely surprised, but was even more so when Hayate nodded.

"Last we checked other than the Heartless showing up and tearing apart the city we lived in there was no wars going on." Vita added confusing Lelouch.

"Is Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi the leader of the Japan you come from?" The former prince asked, but Hayate shook her head.

_How can that be possible? _

"The answer you seek is simply that Hayate is from an alternate Japan on an Earth like yours, but different." An elderly voice spoke answering the question Lelouch had. "There are many worlds out there and a number of them which due to the boundaries that separate the worlds between different dimensions and planes which isolate the worlds from one another there are some identical alternate worlds similar to one world yet different from the other."

"Who are you?" Vita inquired at the new arrival.

"Oh sorry for walking in like that" The visitor was an elderly man wearing a blue robe and a matching pointy hat with a long white beard and hair along with a small pair of spectacles on his nose. "I am called Merlin."

"Merlin?" Vita and Hayate asked while the latter noticed the name was familiar.

"You must be Lelouch, Leon told me about you."

"Why I am important, was I saved because I wield the Keyblade?"

"An unusual thing to say, but you were saved because we can't allow any more Heartless to be born? If their numbers grow any more they could overrun this town."

_I see, so the Heartless multiply by devouring the hearts of others, those who lose their hearts become Heartless themselves. _

"Excuse me, but why do the Heartless fear that weapon anyway?" Vita inquired pointing to the Keyblade.

"The Keyblade is a powerful weapon capable of truly destroying the Heartless, but more so it grants the wielder power such as enabling them to use magic with the Keyblade acting as a conduit for magical energy and spell casting. The Keyblade also augment the wielder's magical abilities on a more general level. In addition Keyblades can also augment the wielder with other powers and abilities that they would not normally be able to use. However one of the primary powers of the Keyblade is that it has the ability to seal or open the barriers between worlds, as well as lock a world's Keyhole, preventing the Heartless from attacking that world's heart. Because of this ability, the Keyblade can also be used to lock or unlock any lock, allowing the user to access any sealed interior, whether it is a locked room, gate, or virtually anything with a lock on it."

"I see" Lelouch said as he thought. _An obvious power of a weapon based on a key. _"But I have a hard time accepting the idea I have magically abilities."

"Why not a test?" Merlin said as he created a small bit of flame in the palm of his hand. Lelouch was impressed as he was unable to deduce how Merlin was doing it as he held the flame in his hand. When Merlin brought it closer Lelouch could feel the heat from the flame proving it was real. Suddenly Merlin removed his hand from under the flame causing it to fall towards Lelouch's lap. Acting on mere impulse to catch the falling flame Lelouch caught the flame with his left palm which much to his surprise didn't burn his hand.

At first Lelouch couldn't understand how he was doing it, but he moved his other hand towards the top of the flame, but pulled his hand away when he was nearly burnt by it. Curious Lelouch by moving his hand holding the flame…he barely felt it upon his hand let alone that it wasn't burning him. So testing it he moved his hand up sending the flame flying out of his hand before catching again with his other hand holding it in his palm.

"I was right you do have the talent, the Keyblade awakened it."

"So this means I am capable of magic?" Lelouch asked as he couldn't believe the words that had just come out of his mouth more so the fact that he actually was juggling a piece of flame in his open hand using an unknown power that allowed him to hold it without it burning him. He considered himself a practical person who believed more in science and fact than fictional things like Santa Claus and let alone magic.

With a wave of Merlin's hand the flame flew out of Lelouch's hand before disappearing into nothing consumed by the air around them leaving no trace of it.

"Your sister's name is Nunnally right?"

"That's right."

"I can also provide assistance in her search, however when you are well enough I advise you should see me."

"Why I have to find Nunnally…to me she comes first."

"I see, but if you want to find her and then protect her wouldn't it be best to learn how to properly harness the power of the Keyblade."

"But you want me to destroy the Heartless right?"

"The Heartless are everyone's problem…they are like locusts spreading from one world consuming everything before moving on. Sooner or later you'll have to fight them if you even wish to protect yourself because the Heartless will not stop until they consume everything."

"But why me, why can't that guy Leon accomplish this?"

"Because he lacks the weapon that could end the threat of the Heartless forever, but you have it. You have power you don't even fully comprehend yet. You have the power to make the difference so put it to good use." Merlin said before turning his attention to Hayate and Vita. "And now you two," Merlin began as he examined both Hayate and Vita as he stared at both of them.

"Uh why are you doing that?" Vita inquired feeling a little nervous.

"I see…you are a magical construct and that hammer of yours is an ancient-Belkan armed device isn't it?" Merlin guessed correctly surprising Vita and Hayate.

"You…You can tell?"

"I have been around for a quite a long time, been to the past and the future. So you could say I have seen a lot of things."

"Oh…then are you really the same Merlin who taught King Arthur like in those movies I say," Hayate said remembering the name Merlin.

"Yes, but I might be a bit different from the movies and books you might have seen." Merlin commented with a chuckle. "But I notice this girl is linked to you right?"

"Yes she is…it's a little hard to explain, but…" Hayate began not sure where to begin.

"I think I understand, but perhaps we should talk more elsewhere and allow Lelouch to rest." Merlin suggested while Hayate seemed concerned for Lelouch.

"I'll be fine…I am not going anywhere."

With those last words Merlin left the room with Vita and Hayate in tow leaving Lelouch. The former prince still couldn't move his legs well and even moving his arms still hurt, in fact his little juggling stunt with the flame made the pain a little worse. But in his mind once again he looked at the Keyblade that lay before him on the bed considering Merlin's words.

_You have the power to make a difference…put it to good use. _

Lelouch looked down at his hands as memories flowed back into him…one memory came first it was two months after his mother's death. He confronted his father about failing to protect his mother and it was then his entire world crumbled completely when he asked about Nunnally and why he didn't visit her.

_I have no use for that weakling…that's what it means to be royalty._ Lelouch gripped his fists hard as he looked at the Keyblade as the next words his father spoke were embedded into his mind._ You are dead to me dead since the day you were born…who gave you the fine clothes you wear, a comfortable home, the food you eat and your very life…all of those I have given to you. In short you are nothing to me because you have never existed yet you dare to speak such foolishness to me. Lelouch you are dead so therefore you are not entitled to any rights, so I am sending you and Nunnally to Japan as prince and princess you will serve well as bargaining tools. _

His fists clinched even tighter as a more recent memory came to mind something that added to what their father did. It was during the night when assassins came to kill him and Nunnally, a chilling realization came to him at that moment because he knew Japan wouldn't have benefited from their deaths neither would have the other royals…it would have been him…the one who sent him to Japan.

The princess and prince sent to Japan as exchange students would be killed while that man the Emperor would simply clap his hands in delight since their deaths would give him a convenient excuse to invade Japan. Regardless if it was Japanese extremist or the same people responsible for the death of his mother who intended to kill, but no matter who had been attempting to kill him and his sister that man the Emperor Charles zi Britannia sent them to Japan knowing full well what would happen.

Or rather this was the outcome he was hoping for when he cut them off and sent them to Japan.

A shiver went down his spine at how inhuman that man was as he realized something that should have been painfully clear to him at the beginning when he first arrived in Japan on that day, but only realized it when the assassination attempt took place. The hate towards Britannia the Japanese had also drove this fact home…if Lelouch and his sister were useless pawns to him then why not have them break in another country where their deaths would suit his plans perfectly, which is why they were sent alone with no bodyguard to protect them.

Even if he wouldn't be directly involved he wanted them to die for his own gain.

During the assassination attempt he nearly lost Suzaku who held off their would-be killers to allow Lelouch to get away to reach Nunnally and flee the area. He could have kept running, but no he couldn't lose Suzaku the only person he regarded as a human and a friend. Even though he had no reason to have stayed with them, he and Suzaku but seeing how their fathers were after the respective loss of their own mothers…it was maybe something their hardened hearts had wanted.

But once again he was powerless and it was only by sheer luck and a carefully calculated plan that allowed the two to survive that night, but once again their chances of surviving were one in a billion that night.

Despite the pain in his arms Lelouch picked up the Keyblade looking at the weapon more closely.

_I am sick of it…sick of being a weakling and having no power to wield, but now…I have power…this power the Keyblade is mines. I am going to make a difference…I'll find Nunnally, destroy the Heartless so they can't threaten her and then I'll crush that man along with his country. I'll change the world and this Keyblade is my key to making it possible. _

* * *

In another corner of Traverse Town, Yuffie was in Leon's secret training area which was located in an underground section of the town where the entrance was located in the Second District near the hotel Lelouch was currently at. The girl was practicing kunai throwing as well as other ninja skills all in an effort to get stronger and to work off some steam from having froze up during the Heartless attack. Missing the target dummies a few times before landing some headshots didn't improve her frustrated mood.

"Hello Yuffie-chan."

Yuffie turned around quickly changing her expression to hide her frustration. The woman was older than she was being around fifteen years old possessing an easy-going expression on her face, which was enhanced by the fact that the girl kept her eyes closed most of the time. She had long light brown hair, which was uniquely styled with a long ponytail that hung midway to her ankles while dressed in the traditional garb of a shinobi although it had a pink coloring.

Like her the girl before her was aspiring to be a ninja as the girl was from the Koga ninja clan, but being born a generation too late, since her parents do not carry on the family ninja traditions, but she developed many self-taught skills and techniques that she was passing onto Yuffie. Leon had met Kaede while protecting Merlin on a visit to a world a few months ago. Upon discovering she was skilled in ninja techniques and skills as well as aware of Yuffie seeking to learn such skills recruited Kaede to train Yuffie. Of course Yuffie suspected that Leon and Kaede were being a little too friendly or rather she had the feeling something was going on between them.

"Hiya Kaede," Yuffie said greeting Kaede Nagase as the latter was smiling who seemed to be obvious to her student's mood.

"Leon told me what happened? Are you alright?"

"I am fine, but…I froze up!"

"Relax its fine…you couldn't have expected things like that to happen without warning."

"But I have been training under you to eliminate that."

"You can't expect to be a master ninja so quickly de gozaru."

"I know, but I just felt so useless today!"

"Mind telling me what happened? I heard some details from Leon, but I want to hear your side of it."

* * *

Around the same time on a small island in the middle of a small lake located beyond the third district in a small woodland area where the Heartless do not typically inhabit which was likely due to the presence of Merlin and the fact that he has made him home in an old house that stood on the island. Inside a circular room, which had pile upon pile of books surrounding the heart of the room, Hayate and Vita were seated around a round wooden table with Merlin seated before them as the two were having tea together.

Vita was enjoying cookies, but she took some time to glance around the place and found that besides the enormous collection of books scattered about the room there was a bed, a desk and an alchemy lab with a chalk board set up.

Merlin had been listening to Vita and Hayate's explanations regarding the Book of Darkness incident which Merlin was familiar with to a degree as he had known about the tome being a storage unit of shorts containing a large amount of knowledge but it became _cursed _when tampering by its early owners caused the book's defense program to become corrupt and killing its owners over the years until it was finally stopped with the sacrifice of both the book and its master program named Reinforce by Hayate.

Signum, Vita, Shamal and Zafira were spared from the book's destruction thanks to Reinforce following the latter transferring the knight program to Hayate freeing them of the Book of Darkness, but binding them to Hayate meaning that as long as she was alive so were they. After Vita and Hayate finished explaining what had happened to their world such as the massive Heartless invasion before completing their combined tale with Vita having filled in the proper gaps here and there.

"I see…you are a very remarkable young woman Miss Yagami to not only absorb the knowledge of the Tome of the Night Sky, but to have reprogrammed the entire book as well." Merlin said putting his teacup down.

"It was nothing I was the mistress of the book as well."

"Well the book and its master program can be recreated as I am sure you realize."

"I suppose, but I haven't made much progress." Hayate admitted showing Merlin the fragment of Reinforce that survived after the Tome of the Night Sky's destruction following Reinforce's sacrifice. It was a small gold cross pendant with a gold chain. Merlin examined Schwertkreuz carefully while showing signs of being impressed.

"Not bad, actually your work at restoring and recreating the Tome of the Night Sky is coming along quite well."

"Thank you," Hayate replied with a smile.

"I could help you. I know a few tricks I could show you which could help you restore Reinforce and your magical abilities fully."

"You can?"

"Yes, although you would have been successful on your own in time. But I think it would be worth it if your abilities were restored to you wouldn't you agree Vita?" Merlin inquired directing the question at the Iron Knight who was munching on a cookie at the time.

"Until we can reunite with Signum and the others if there is a way Hayate can regain her magical abilities and powers then I think she should do it." Vita said primary out of concern for her mistress and knowing what they were facing meant that the fights ahead could be tougher and Vita may not be able to protect Hayate effectively on her own especially in the latter's current powerless state.

Hayate understanding Vita's concerns without hearing them as well as grasping the situation they were in agreed to Merlin's proposal.

"Where do we begin?"

"We're going to need a few things, but first…" Merlin began getting up from his chair. He brought out a magic wand from his robes before proceeding to wave it around to summon the books he would need. After six books floated over to the table Merlin became slightly annoyed when he was having difficulty finding the last book he needed.

"Oh confound it where is that last book?"

* * *

Later that day while Lelouch was resting soundly when Kaede arrived in his hotel room using the whole thing as an opportunity to train and develop her skills further the young fifteen-year old girl snuck into the room using her skills as a ninja to slip in undetected. The black-haired young man was resting peacefully as Kaede approached his bedside looking down at Lelouch. On her way to his room she overheard a few people talking about the weapon he had called the Keyblade coupled with what Yuffie and Leon told her. Now since arriving in town Kaede had heard her own stories about the mystical weapon that Heartless feared, but no one had seen it.

She found the weapon lying besides him…

What a weird looking weapon, but I guess it is a Keyblade after all?

"What do you want?" Lelouch demanded opening his eyes; it seemed he wasn't completely asleep after all.

"Oh dear I am sorry if I woke up you, but after what Leon-dono and Yuffie-chan told me I wanted to see the Keyblade de gozaru!" Kaede said apologizing.

"Just what are you doing here? Are you some kind of theft?"

"No I am nothing of the short I am deeply sorry de gozaru for disturbing you. I am Kaede Nagase a pleasure to meet you Lelouch-dono." Kaede said politely introducing herself to Lelouch before sitting on the bed with her legs crossed over one another as the former prince examined her attire. "Yuffie-chan mentioned you when I came to our training area, so once I was finished training her I was curious so I came here."

"I see," Lelouch said as he noticed Kaede's pink custom short-sleeve uwagi and matching shitabaki with split-toed tabi boots with white socks that had bandages wrapped around the socks and the bottom of the pants to secure them firmly to her socks preventing the bottom of the shitabaki from being loose. Completing her outfit was a red obi she wore as well too. "Are you from Japan?"

"Uh-huh, so are you from Japan too?"

"I guess you could say that, but the Japan I came from is likely different from yours." Lelouch noted while recalling the idea of alternate Earths like this own that might be similar to a certain degree but ultimately different.

"Really that's cool de gozaru!"

The conversation was feeling a bit awkward prompted Lelouch to ask.

"So did you come here alone too?"

"If you mean in the way you did and others then no, but rather I was asked to come here by Leon-dono when he and Merlin were visiting the school I go to in my world. Leon went out into the forest where I train and we bumped into one another. He was impressed with my skills and told me he knew this girl who wanted to be a ninja so he asked if I could train her." Kaede explained.

"I see," Lelouch replied.

"I am sorry, but I take it you lost your parents to the Heartless?"

"Well not quite my mother died about a year ago and my," Lelouch began but soon bushed the subject of Charles zi Britannia aside before adding. "Well he isn't worth talking about."

"Oh I see…"

"I am not exactly feeling sociable right now, so don't expect me to talk much."

"If it's because of something that happened that brought you here I understand." Kaede said, but Lelouch remained quiet, but he did so mostly because he wasn't sure what to say.

"Well I have a sister who I am hoping she'll be in town, but if she is not I have to find her."

"You don't seem like the warrior type to me, so would you be ok going by yourself. Rather are you strong enough to go by yourself?" Kaede didn't need to wait for a response, but Lelouch's frustrated expression said it all. "I see so you are like Yuffie. You are both frustrated because of your lack of strength but I assume you would like to gain it quickly so you could find her as soon as possible?"

"I would, but…" Lelouch knew that taking everything into account he knew it would be impossible for Lelouch to get rapid training like that. His lack of physical strength and athletic ability was another problem.

"Of course give your situation you can't train normally. Based on what I can tell it would take you at least a year to get the body you need, but Merlin mentioned there was someone at my school back home who could help. Although you should check with him first just to be sure I heard that right."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I heard this one has a hidden resort that one day inside is one hour outside. Just imagine fifteen days in that bottle would amount to about one year without having to actually spend an entire year training normally. You could get a year's worth of training in fifteen days." Kaede revealed as Lelouch was interested.

Knowing that even if he got a means of transport to search for Nunnally, but he knew deep down he needed to at least be capable of wielding the Keyblade to protect both himself and her.

* * *

Back at Merlin's home Hayate and Vita were on the second floor as Merlin was helping prepare and gather everything they needed to create a new Tome of the Night Sky utilizing the fragment and the remains of its unison device Reinforce that had fused with Hayate's Linker Core. Merlin's own extensive knowledge on ancient magics was proving invaluable to Hayate who could have spent another year in recreating the tome, but the set-up for the Tome of the Night Sky's creation ritual and process she was seeing being made was well beyond the knowledge she had absorbed from the tome prior to its destruction.

The whole process would take a couple days since Hayate and Merlin wanted to take every precaution to avoid recreating the tome's corrupt defense program, although it was unlikely no one was taking any chances adopting a better-safe-than-sorry mindset with the new tome's creation using the fragments of the original.

Vita was sitting in a corner of the room focusing on trying to contact the other Wolkenritter by means of telepathy, but so far contacting them was proving to be difficult. Either the distance between them was great or they were in locations where telepathic contact was impossible. In an effort to improve her chances Vita sat perfectly still and focused her mind.

_Signum, Shamal, Zafira…come on one of you answer me!_

Just when Vita was about to give up on further attempts at communications, she finally got a response.

_There is no need to shout Vita I can hear you._

_Zafira…finally I managed to contact one of you. _

_I have been having difficulties communicating with the others, but I think something else is causing interference. _

_I had to focus everything I had into telepathic communication. _

_I had to do the same, but I assume you haven't heard from Signum or Shamal…is Mistress Hayate with you?_

_Yeah, Hayate is ok and she is with me, but as for Shamal and Signum I have no clue to their whereabouts. _

_I see…I am not sure where I am at, but this world is definitely not Earth. _

_I don't think Hayate and I are going to pick you up for awhile, but maybe if you can find some kind of landmark or something that could tell us where you are at maybe we can try to track you down._

_I understand, but if I encounter Shamal or Signum or if they make contact with me I'll tell them what you told me._

_Thank you, but I'll keep trying to reach them in the meantime. _

After that Vita resumed attempting to contact Signum and Shamal while Merlin was almost done assisting Hayate with the preparations, although the wheelchair bound girl was curious about the entire process since a lot of it was a little beyond what she knew or the information was simply not present inside the Tome of the Night Sky at the time she acquired the information. After having found the missing book Merlin sought the group and with preparations were about ready however the aged wizard still needed one more thing as he gestured for Hayate to approach the large magical circle written out in white chalk which was drawn in combination of the Tome of the Night Sky's usual runes that were displayed when Vita or one of her other knights were casting spells or using magic. Around that was a circle which held a different set of runes from a language that was different from the ancient Belkan runes, maybe even older.

"Now there is one last thing I need before we can start, but I should warn you. Once we begin we cannot stop the process and you'll have to remain at the center of the circle. You must do exactly as I say and follow my instructions."

"I understand…"

"Good if you are ready then we can begin."

* * *

Events were now in motion that was beyond just about everyone's control as a terrible darkness was moving across the worlds putting a dangerous plan into motion. In a dark realm with an endless ocean before him Xehanort sat on a rock on the shores of a beach with black sand and strange stone like formations spotted around the area. He gazed into the moon just as another had arrived at his location.

"You are being too bold…"

Xehanort looked over his shoulder and saw a seemingly crippled figure wearing a brown cloak that hid his features.

"I am merely carrying out my purpose and more for the sake of the plan."

"Eliminating potential threats are fine, but take heed not to create more in the process."

"I shall…Ansem."

* * *

A/N: a few surprises here, more than one Xehanort is present and I will say that it's not the time traveling version since he'll appear later and Lelouch receiving the Keyblade from Terra where in the game it was Riku, however I changed it on purpose for story purposes.

How much things have changed, well not too much story wise, but it gives me a little more flexibility to work with at my own pace without having to worry about keeping events as they were in the games. Not to mention I can do a lot more too.

Also in place of the poll on my profile I have a new harem suggestion poll for another project I got in the works, but that story will take awhile so I am collecting ideas and suggestions for it. It was inspired by Epic Ebi's Games fanfic story, so check out the poll and the forum post for it under my Research and Development forum for Code Geass crossover. On the plus side at least I didn't involve them in this story otherwise we could have seen whole cities destroyed with the Nanoha Cast and the Fairy Tail cast involved with one another lol.


End file.
